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Lean Time Tips........Bring 'Em!!
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<blockquote data-quote="Pam R" data-source="post: 203352" data-attributes="member: 108"><p>A good many of these things I've been doing for the last 20 yrs.</p><p></p><p>Because of severe health issues, we've had to clean up our food. But we could not afford to buy organic or grass fed. So we are raising it. Expensive the first year with start up but should be much cheaper next year.</p><p></p><p>We're doing grass fed beef, pastured chicken and layers. Also started up the big garden again. When we built 25 yrs. ago, we built a passive solar house, backed up by wood heat. Never been cold in 25 yrs, and not having to worry about it now.</p><p></p><p>DS will be moving out by March. That alone will be a HUGE savings. He left for school this morning before I came downstairs and left 4 lights burning. Sigh.</p><p></p><p>We make only 3 or less trips off the farm a week. Combine as many errands as possible on a trip.</p><p></p><p>Mostly I buy bulk, as coupons are seldom for anything but highly processed, nutrient deficient foods. Have 2 freezers (large), a big pantry, and a root cellar. </p><p></p><p>Have tag saled (garage sale, yard sale) aggressively for decades. It's our main survival technique. We buy EVERYTHING we can at them. Seldom shop in stores, except for some food.</p><p></p><p>The power strip thing is important. I also do laundry just once a week, and hang it out. Full loads in dishwasher. I use small lamps to light the area I am in. Because of SADS, I use full spectrum bulbs in many of those, but the rest have the florescents. </p><p></p><p>We almost never eat out. We bring our meals with us, if we are away from home for any reason over meal times. Have done this for many years, due to food issues.</p><p></p><p>Have never had snack stuff around, could not afford it. </p><p></p><p>We reuse and recycle as much stuff as possible. We just built the winter coop for the layers for $100. That included a ceiling, flooring, insulation, electric, roosts, nest boxes, and an inner wall of protective hardware cloth. Most of it we had from other things and stored for future use.</p><p></p><p>We got 7 rolls of the 4' high heavy duty rectangular fencing with the green plastic coating at a tag sale for $60. Each roll new goes for about $100. It was enough to do the entire chicken yard, and plenty for another project.</p><p></p><p>At the same sale, picked up 35# of 16d and 20d nails for $20. They go for $1/lb. Don't need them now, but probably will use them sometime.</p><p></p><p>Mostly we just plan way ahead, sometimes years ahead. Didn't even know about storing foods the old way, but thought having crocks to do it might be handy. Been buying them for years. Now it's something I have to do for health. </p><p></p><p>I had clothing for DS up to age 12, by the time he was 3, all bought at tag sales or given to me. Was a good thing because he was wearing 12's by the time he was 8-9. Stored it in the 6' x 9' cedar closet.</p><p></p><p>So that's how we've survived the last 10 yrs on a single disability income (this equals 60% of a real income). The real test will come in February when that income will be cut by 1/3, when DS turns 18.</p><p></p><p>Pam R.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Pam R, post: 203352, member: 108"] A good many of these things I've been doing for the last 20 yrs. Because of severe health issues, we've had to clean up our food. But we could not afford to buy organic or grass fed. So we are raising it. Expensive the first year with start up but should be much cheaper next year. We're doing grass fed beef, pastured chicken and layers. Also started up the big garden again. When we built 25 yrs. ago, we built a passive solar house, backed up by wood heat. Never been cold in 25 yrs, and not having to worry about it now. DS will be moving out by March. That alone will be a HUGE savings. He left for school this morning before I came downstairs and left 4 lights burning. Sigh. We make only 3 or less trips off the farm a week. Combine as many errands as possible on a trip. Mostly I buy bulk, as coupons are seldom for anything but highly processed, nutrient deficient foods. Have 2 freezers (large), a big pantry, and a root cellar. Have tag saled (garage sale, yard sale) aggressively for decades. It's our main survival technique. We buy EVERYTHING we can at them. Seldom shop in stores, except for some food. The power strip thing is important. I also do laundry just once a week, and hang it out. Full loads in dishwasher. I use small lamps to light the area I am in. Because of SADS, I use full spectrum bulbs in many of those, but the rest have the florescents. We almost never eat out. We bring our meals with us, if we are away from home for any reason over meal times. Have done this for many years, due to food issues. Have never had snack stuff around, could not afford it. We reuse and recycle as much stuff as possible. We just built the winter coop for the layers for $100. That included a ceiling, flooring, insulation, electric, roosts, nest boxes, and an inner wall of protective hardware cloth. Most of it we had from other things and stored for future use. We got 7 rolls of the 4' high heavy duty rectangular fencing with the green plastic coating at a tag sale for $60. Each roll new goes for about $100. It was enough to do the entire chicken yard, and plenty for another project. At the same sale, picked up 35# of 16d and 20d nails for $20. They go for $1/lb. Don't need them now, but probably will use them sometime. Mostly we just plan way ahead, sometimes years ahead. Didn't even know about storing foods the old way, but thought having crocks to do it might be handy. Been buying them for years. Now it's something I have to do for health. I had clothing for DS up to age 12, by the time he was 3, all bought at tag sales or given to me. Was a good thing because he was wearing 12's by the time he was 8-9. Stored it in the 6' x 9' cedar closet. So that's how we've survived the last 10 yrs on a single disability income (this equals 60% of a real income). The real test will come in February when that income will be cut by 1/3, when DS turns 18. Pam R. [/QUOTE]
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